Bill Herrig’s son, Scott Herrig, said that the fire destroyed much more than their auto parts and repair business.

“I came out around 5 a.m. Wednesday and noticed it,” Scott Herrig said. “It’s a total loss at this point. We’re basically at a standstill. Right now, we’re just trying to get our phones back up in a small trailer just so we can let our customers know what’s going on.”

Herrig said that the fire department responded around 5:30 a.m., 20 minutes after his call. The fire was completely out and the area was safe by 7:30 a.m., though little to nothing was salvageable. Records, parts, titles, backup records and equipment all went up in smoke.

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“We just have to wait until the insurance company comes out to figure things out,” Herrig said. “We won’t be able to come back at the same size most likely. I don’t know how we’re going to move forward. We’ve got the equipment and man power to clean up, we just need the OK. Hopefully we can be back up quickly.”

Herrig said that his father built the business when he was only 10 months old. He said they did everything from auto body work to used parts and car sales. For 27 years, the building has been more than just a business for the family, it was their life.

“I’ve never felt so helpless,” Herrig said. “For the first time in my life, I saw my dad cry. It tore me up.”

Herrig said that there was easily $200,000 in damages to the structure alone, and that all of the equipment and vehicle needs could double that. He said that the cause is still undetermined.

New London Fire Chief Gene Carey said that New London, Verona, Durhamville, City of Rome, Vienna and North Bay fire departments were all present to provide aid. New York State Police and Oneida County sherriff’s deputies were on location for support and Sylvan Beach and Vernon fire departments where on standby.

Carey said that Oneida County Cause and Origin is investigating, though he thinks the cause of the fire may difficult to determined because of the extent of the damage.

About the Author

Until December, 2014, Nick will was a staff writer at the Oneida Daily Dispatch. Hailing from Madison. Nick is a 2012 SUNY Plattsburgh graduate. In his time at The Dispatch, he focused on education, history and community events coverage in Madison and Southern Oneida counties. Reach the author at nwill@oneidadispatch.com
or follow Nick on Twitter: @DispatchNick.